


reunion at last

by whitepansy



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blindness, Gen, Nonbinary Kurapika, Pairo Lives, Reunions, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-05 18:03:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5385179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whitepansy/pseuds/whitepansy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>MY version of the phantom rouge movie, where everyone is ok and death is negotiable</p>
            </blockquote>





	reunion at last

**Author's Note:**

> AYY ive been planning this fic for the l o n g e s t time and i just finished it r.i.p. me ANYWay hope u enjoy (シ_ _)シ  
> *warnings:  
> 1\. kurapika (who uses ae/aer pronouns) wasnt out as nb until ae left the kurta villiage, so pairo doesn't know at first and uses the wrong pronouns. just a lil warning!!  
> 2\. pairo, since he's not dead, has suffered major injuries due to the raid, like burns and scars; he's lost his sight as well due to the lack of attention to his already poor vision. i figured these points were worth mentioning beforehand just in case :X

At first, Kurapika was in disbelief. There was no way this rumor was true. There couldn't be a surviving Kurta. They were all brutally slaughtered in the Phantom Troupe's raid. Kurapika knew, ae had seen the news report. Ae had seen the horrifying truth. All one hundred twenty-eight dead. Murdered. Massacred.

And yet...

Ae took the bait, anyway. Kurapika tried hard to push down aer rising hope, attempting to not get too excited about it, but it was useless.

A Kurta could be alive!

And really, as much as Kurapika loved Gon, Killua, and Leorio, and was eternally thankful for the friendship they provided-- there was a constant homesickness in aer chest. A painful reminder that things will never be the same, that ae will never have the comfort of a home to go back to.

But this, this was an opportunity. An opportunity to get that home back, to regain aer precious family.

It was a potentially losing opportunity, yet... ae still wanted to believe. Ae hoped with all aer heart, and then some, that it was true because ae deserved this, at least, this one good thing to happen to aem.

Still... There was so much doubt in aer heart, too, wrenching it in the other direction, making it twist in aer chest painfully. "What if"s floated around in aer mind, dizzying aem. What if this was a trap; what if this was set up by the Phantom Troupe; what if it wasn't even a Kurta; what if, what if, what if--

Kurapika shook aer head free from these wandering thoughts. Staring out the window at the yellow-orange sunrise, ae reasoned that ae would have to just wait and see as ae traveled to Yorknew. Though, being impatient had always been aer weak point.

***

The moment Kurapika saw Leorio, ae felt aer heart strengthen in a way that was reminiscent of the Hunter exam. It was good to have friends for backup, ae decided.

"Hey, Kurapika!" Leorio waved aem over, a big smile on his face. 

"Hello, Leorio," Kurapika responded, returning the smile with a more polite one. "How have things been?"

"Good, I suppose," Leorio responded as they fell into step, moving out of the airport and toward the city. "I think I had underestimated a bit how hard this doctor school would be..." He chuckled sheepishly, hand on his neck.

Kurapika turned his gaze from the chipper afternoon sky to raise an eyebrow at Leorio.

"But, I mean!" Leorio interjected when he caught sight of the scathing look Kurapika was giving him, "I'm getting the hang of it." Looking toward the other, he carefully asked, "And you?"

Ae hesitated. "Life has been..." Kurapika paused, choosing aer words carefully with a frown. "Not what I had particularly expected it to be." But then Kurapika suddenly looked up to aer friend with a smile. "But I'm glad you came with me to investigate this rumor. Thank you, Leorio. I'm grateful to you."

Leorio instantly became flustered, waving aem off and sputtering phrases like, "It's no big deal, really-- I was traveling this way, anyway-- No need to thank me-- It's what any other friend would've done--"

Kurapika only smiled wider and proceeded to hail a cab.

***

It was like ae was 12 all over again, leaving the clan to go on the journey of a lifetime, the amount of excitement that was coursing through aer body. 

"Where was it again, the spotting--?" Leorio wondered out loud, attempting to read a travel-size map. 

"The park, northwest of the hotel we rented," Kurapika responded quickly. "Leorio..." Ae turned to him, wide-eyed, biting back a grin. "I can hardly believe it-- I almost don't want to; and yet... Someone could be right here, under our noses! Right here!" 

Leorio caught aer gaze and his expression softened. "You know, I'm glad I came with you, too," he confessed quietly, but with a louder voice, he countered, "Kurapika-- you have to understand... You can't get your hopes too... high. Y'know?" Leorio broke eye contact and looked back to the map as if Kurapika would lash out just from him saying that. 

Kurapika's smile fell and ae blinked a few times as if catching aerself doing something embarrassing. "I... Yes, I suppose you're right. It's funny, I told myself on the ride here that I shouldn't get my hopes up..." Ae trailed off, voice fading into a murmur. "I know for a fact that everyone had died. Who knows if this is some kind of trap..."

The topic changed, Leorio nodded his head gravely. "Yes, we have to keep a watchful eye. We can't let our guards down, either. Caution is key."

The mood drastically changed as they both watched the road ahead until they reached the hotel.

Thanking the cab driver, Leorio paid and they entered to retrieve the room key. After checking into the room, the two left to investigate the scene. 

***

The park wasn't small, but it wasn't particularly big, either. Due to this, Kurapika spent as much time as ae could stalling; not wanting to head straight into both aer greatest dream and nightmare. Ae walked slowly, peered at the map, paused, looked around, pretended that ae was deep in thought.

"Kurapikaa," Leorio drawled suddenly.

Ae looked up at him in surprise. "...Yes?" ae responded.

Leorio wasn't looking at aem, but he seemed concerned. Softly, he said, "It's okay if you're nervous. But there's no need to worry. If it is a trap, I'll protect you."

Kurapika, surprised, felt some of aer anxiety ebb away. "Ah, thank you, Leorio." Ae smiled and looked down at the map again. "...But I can handle myself in a fight. You should know that well enough." Cheekily, ae gave him a side glance.

Leorio smiled warmly despite the withering look he tried to make. "I sure do."

"But really... thank you, Leorio." Kurapika smiled honestly and made eye contact. "You're a good friend... for a classless golddigger."

Leorio paused, then sneered. "And you're a good friend for a disrespectful _cretin_."

They both laughed, tension gone completely.

"Alright," Leorio stated, "Let's find ourselves a Kurta."

***

Hours of searching proved to be fruitfuless.

There was nothing, nowhere at all. Only the regular towngoers, who seemed curious about the intensive searching the two were doing. Though, anytime they asked, Kurapika would ignore them, and Leorio would have to cover, hastily claiming it was for a biology report, to research the plant life, or that they were preforming an inspection. 

When the sun began to set and the sky turned a blazing red and pink, they decided to give up.

"Maybe it really was just a rumor..." Leorio muttered, still looking around subconciously.

Kurapika didn't say a word. Mostly because something had caught aer attention.

The statue stood tall, a stone tower looming over all parkgoers. The figure perched on the base of the statue was of more interest to Kurapika, however.

Lyre in hand, the person was playing a melody that seemed melancholy, almost. They were the size of a child, with brown hair and a traditional Kurta tunic... Their eyes were closed, and they seemed absorbed in their own world.

Kurapika was afraid to speak. Ae hesitated, froze up. A lump formed in aer throat.

"C..." Ae started in a quiet whisper, "Could you be...?"

The music stopped abruptly. The child spoke in a feeble, familiar voice. "Huh? That voice..." A look of recognition crossed his face, his eyes still closed. "Kurapika?"

Tears welled in Kurapika's eyes, and ae blinked quickly to rid them. Ae stood rigid, hand in fists by aer side. For a moment, ae had no idea what to do. Ae wanted to run toward him and envelop him in the tightest hug he could manage, but ae also wanted to scream, run away as fast as ae could, because this could very well posssibly be the sickest trap ae had ever encountered.

But then Pairo opened his eyes, and the brown eyes that were revealed quelled every bit of anxiety Kurapika felt. 

"Pairo," ae breathed, a relieved grin enveloping aer face. "You're alive!"

"Kurapika? Is that you, Kurapika?" Pairo continued, sounding lost, confused. He stretched out his small hands, and continued, "Come closer. I want to get a good look at your face."

Despair hit Kurapika and aer stomach sunk like a brick. Ae took in the scars ridden across the younger boy's face and his blank stare. _He'd gone blind._

"Pairo..." ae murmured, and stepped closer as he has wished.

From afar, Leorio watched this exchange, half heart heavy and half wary. On one hand, this reunion between lost friends was emotional and heart-wrenching, but on the other hand, it could still very well be a trap. He stood at the ready, willing to jump in when things started to look bad.

Soft, childlike hands slid over Kurapika's face, carefully tracing every line and dip and curve. Kurapika held aer breath.

A smile formed on Pairo's face. "Kurapika," he began, sounding awed. "You've gotten prettier! Your eyelashes are so long! And your face is so thin!"

Kurapika's face flushed, and ae couldn't help but grin again. "Pairo," ae laughed, embarrassed.

"It's true, Kurapika! You've always been the prettiest boy in the clan..." Pairo giggled, souding boastful, but Kurapika couldn't help but flinch, aer grin fading a bit.

"Eh? What's wrong?" Pairo asked, picking up on the movement quickly.

"Ah-- it's nothing," Kurapika murmured, brushing it off. Ae smiled again, and cupped Pairo's face in aer hands as well, gazing at his long-lost friend warmly. "I'm glad you're alive, Pairo."

"Me, too!" Pairo responded, giggling again.

Leorio edged his way closer, unable to see what the two were going on about because they were so close.

Kurapika caught the motion in the corner of his eye, and straighted up with an "Oh!" 

"Kurapika?!" Pairo lurched forward to find his friend's face again. "What is it--?"

"Ah, sorry, Pairo!" Kurapika gave his hand a comforting squeeze. "One moment, though!" Ae walked away quickly to grab Leorio, and tugged on his suit. "C'mon!"

"Huh-?!" Leorio yelped. "N-no, no, no, Kurapika, it's okay--"

"It'll be fine, Leorio, he's going to want to meet you, anyway." Kurapika gave him an earnest smile.

Leorio baulked, frowning, though he let himself be tugged toward the smaller, confused Kurta.

"Kurapika?" He was saying, and as they approached, his arms outstretched again. His eyes were wide open, and they flitted around.

"Sorry, Pairo," Kurapika said softly, letting him grab aer hand again. Pairo stared ahead as his hands gently felt Kurapika's. "I wanted to tell you about something, though."

"Yes?" Pairo responded, his voice patient.

"You wanted to know about my adventure, right? We promised, that when I came back, I would tell you everything," Kurapika said. 

Pairo's face brightened. "Ah-- of course!"

"W-w-wait," Leorio jumped in, hesitant, again catching the gazes of several nosy towngoers, who seemed curious at the rather boisterous reunion. He lowered his voice. "Don't you think we should take this inside, somewhere? Just in case..."

Kurapika frowned, upset at Leorio's negativity during such a time, though ae complied. "Yes, I suppose... Surely we aren't the only ones who've heard the word about a Kurta being here... It could be dangerous." Ae turned to Pairo, voice softening. "Pairo, we're going to go to the hotel room we rented, okay?"

Pairo nodded, his face solemn.

They went to move, but Kurapika paused. "Wait, Pairo... Can you...?"

"Huh?" He tilted his head, confused, but quickly understood the unspoken words. "Oh, my legs are fine, Kurapika! I was lucky enough to meet a kind doctor a few years ago, who helped me with my injuries and my legs! But, well... when the Troupe attacked, they hurt my eyes even more, so by the time I met the doctor... It was too late." A small smile stretched his face, but Kurapika could tell it was forced, only there to make aem feel better.

"...Well, come on, then." Ae grabbed Pairo's hand, and the three of them made their way to the hotel.

***

The moment they settled, Kurapika launched into aer story.

Ae spoke of aer journey across countries, aer discovery of the Hunter career and the exam, how ae entered and met aer new friends.

"I've met so many new people, Pairo, it was so incredibly exciting," ae gushed, eyes gleaming and voice trembling with elation. "My friend, Leorio--"

"Is that him?" Pairo asked, similarly animated. "The man who's with us?"

Kurapika elbowed Leorio, encouraging him to speak up. Leorio hesitated, but when he looked at Kurapika and aer eager expression, he buckled.

"Uh-- yes," Leorio answered, a bit embarrassed at being put on the spot. "That's me; hello, Pairo."

"Woow, he sounds cool!" Pairo said, to himself, though Leorio heard, who only became more embarrassed. More politely, Pairo asked, "Um, excuse me, may I see your face?"

"Yeah, of course," Leorio muttered, leaning forward. Pairo's hands met his face, his fingers ghosting across his skin, he mapped out the man's face.

"Wooaah," Pairo murmured. "Sir, you look so mature!"

"Sir?" Leorio muttered, annoyed. More loudly, he protested, "Oi, I'm not much older than you! I'm still young and fresh!"

"Oh--" Pairo looked immediately apologetic. "S-sorry! Please forgive me!"

Kurapika narrowed aer eyes into a glare, looking at Leorio from out of the corner of aer eye.

Leorio winced at the sharp look he received and responded, "You know what, y-you're fine. I get that a lot. Sorry about that."

Kurapika raised an eyebrow in a way that said, _damn straight you're apologizing._  

Pairo smiled, but then said, "It's ok! But I can't believe how cool you two look! Kurapika, he's gotten so pretty! And you, you're so strong! I wonder when I grow up, if I'll look more like him or you!"

At the use of 'he,' Kurapika stiffed up, but said nothing. Leorio quickly connected the dots.

"Hey," he started, his voice deeper due to his serious tone. Pairo started a little.

"Y-yeah?"

"Kurapika doesn't use those pronouns anymore, you know that, right?"

"H-huh?" Pairo looked lost, eyes flitting around again, as if he was trying to read their expressions.

"Leorio," Kurapika began lowly, but Leorio ignored aem.

"Ae isn't a boy. Don't use 'he.'"

There were a few moments of silence, wherein Leorio held his ground, Pairo absorbed the information, and Kurapika attempted to silently communicate with Leorio.

"Okay," Pairo finally said.

"Huh?" Kurapika managed.

"It's okay. That you're not a boy. But, er... what are you, then?" Pairo asked, not knowing how else to put it.

"I'm nonbinary," Kurapika said, a bit awkwardly. "I, uh, figured that out when I left the village. It felt... right, when I thought about it, so I realized I wasn't a boy." Hastily, ae added on, "Oh, right, I like to use ae/aer pronouns, like... 'ae is not a boy,' and 'aer name is Kurapika,' but, I mean, I know it's hard to switch so suddenly, so they/their is fine, if you would like, this language has very little nonbinary pronouns, so it's a bit..."

Pairo just grinned. "No, it's fine, Kurapika! You're my best friend, so I'll try my hardest to make you happy!"

Kurapika smiled wobbily, touched by Pairo's sincerity.

They continued talking for hours on end, Kurapika speaking about everything the four of them had gone through, even speaking about some things that Leorio had not known, like aer thoughts about certain people, or the things ae did while ae had aer job as a bodyguard.

Kurapika skirted aer way around the topic of aer goal of collecting the Kurta eyes. Leorio wisely did not speak up about it. Rather, he merely gave Kurapika a warning look, as if to say, _you're going to have to tell him sometime._

Kurapika didn't meet his eyes.

They spoke until the sky went dark and the moon shone through the windows.

Kurapika only paused in aer story when they noticed Pairo's eyes drooping and his stifling of yawns.

"Pairo, are you sleepy?" ae asked, light laughter in aer voice. "We can sleep, if you want."

"No! I'm fine!" he insisted. "Keep telling me about the time you rescued Killua!"

Kurapika smiled fondly, and Leorio couldn't help but laugh a bit. 

"Alright," ae said, their voice lilting with warning. "But if you yawn one more time, I'm stopping."

Pairo yawned the moment ae finished speaking, but cut himself off in the middle of it. "That one didn't count!!"

Kurapika continued aer detailed recount, but after only a few minutes, ae felt Pairo's body slump against aer's. Looking toward Leorio with warm, amused eyes, ae pressed a finger to aer lips and slowly laid aer friend down on the bed.

"Kurapika..." Pairo murmured sleepily.

Kurapika started, then turned to looked at him. "Yes?"

"Was it fun?"

Kurapika felt a big smile stretch across aer face.

"Yes," ae responded, voice hushed. "Yes. It was, Pairo."

**Author's Note:**

> sry if it was awkward in any places i tried to proofread this but,, aa  
> pls comment w any misspellings or awkward sentences so i can fix them ( _ _)人


End file.
